FACULTY SENATE MINUTES NO. 8

                                                                                         February 5, 2008

 

1. CALL TO ORDER:  The eighth meeting of the Faculty Senate for 2007-2008 was called to order at 1:10 PM on February 5, 2008 in the Hall of Fame Room in the Park Center by Chairwoman Karla Alwes.

 

SENATORS AND MEMBERS PRESENT: K. Alwes, B. Buxton, D. Berger, K. Lawrence, N. Helsper, H. Botwinick, D. Miller, D. West, J. Walkuski,

 J. Governali, J. Hendrick, O. White, A. Dahlman, D. Harrington, T. Vigers, D. Ritchie, T. Slack, M. Ware, S. Snell, A. Marsh, C. Hahl, J. Riddoch, E. Bitterbaum, D. Davis-Russell, R. Peagler, J. Ford, S. Anderson

 

SENATORS AND MEMBERS ABSENT: E. McCabe, I. Jubran, J. Shedd, J. Reese, J. Rayle, J. Duncan, B. Langhans, D. Videto, B. Schecter, R. Franco,

W. Shaut, M. Connell

 

GUESTS: G. Clarke (FAC), P. Koryzno

 

II. APPROVAL OF THE MINUTES:

The Minutes from November 27, 2008 were approved.

 

III. SENATE ACTIONS:

There were no Senate actions taken.

 

IV. CHAIR’S REPORT:

Chairwoman Alwes reported Jeffrey Walkuski has been elected as Chair of the Faculty Affairs Committee and thanked him for accepting the call.  The next item of business was an announcement that there will be a Robert's Rules Refresher Course on Tuesday, February 19 at 12:10 in the Hall of Fame Room in the Park Center, one hour before the Senate meeting, conducted by Parliamentarian Steve Anderson.  She encouraged those interested to attend.

 

V.  VICE CHAIR’S REPORT:

No report.

 

VI. SECRETARY’S REPORT:

E. McCabe –  No report (absent.)

 

VII. TREASURER’S REPORT:

D. Berger reported that there is $697.00  in the Senate account. The Treasurer commented that this has been the best response ever and he thanked those who contributed.

 

VIII. PRESIDENT’S REPORT:

The President gave a brief report.

 

IX. STANDING COMMITTEE REPORTS:

 

Long Range Planning Committee – J. Ford reported that her committee is conducting its work and is waiting for clarification from the Department of Instutitional Advancement as well as Student Affairs regarding their strategic plans.  The strategic plans will be distributed later this semester.

 

Educational Policy Committee – D. West reported that her committee met on January 31, 2008 where they considered the issue of changing the incomplete policy.  The committee has decided to delete the requirement mandating that 75% of a student's work be completed to qualify for an incomplete.  The EPC Committee has also changed the wording from "must" or "required" to "may" in regards to the incomplete policy, allowing for more discretion on the part of the faculty to decide.

 

Student Affairs Committee – M. Connell, Chair – No report (absent)

 

Faculty Affairs Committee – J. Walkuski - No report.

 

College Research Committee – No report.

 

General Education Committee – M. McGuire, Chair – .No report (absent).

 

Committee on Committees – Chairwoman Alwes read the report on behalf of the Committee on Committees [SEE Appendix 3].  She also read the charge for the Ad Hoc Committee on External Review Committee as follows:  The committee is charged with developing reccommendations for guidelines for developing departmental procedures for external review of scholarship for promotion to full professor or full librarian by the April 8 2008 Faculty Senate meeting. The Chair reported that the members for that committee will be announced shortly after the ballots have been tabulated.

 

Review of Governance Committee H. Botwinick gave a brief report regarding the status of Part 2 of the Review of Governance Report. The report is not completely finalized but will be sent around electronically by e-mail shortly, and will be posted on the Faculty Senate web page as well as on the Review of Governance Webpage, with appropriate links.  There was a discussion regarding possible open discussions and forums to take place on campus allowing for as much discussion and involvement as possible.  Botwinick strongly encouraged everyone on campus to review the survey and familiarize themselves with Part 1 of the report, indicating that the report needs to be considered as a whole. 

 

X. AREA SENATOR’S REPORTS:

 

D. Ritchie reported that Ellen McCabe, Library, was just informed that she received an American Library Association "Let's Talk About It" grant for Jewish Literature.  The grant will be used to promote discussion about Jewish Literature, specifically graphic novels, for the Fall 2008 semester.  Nicola Morris, English Department, will be the scholar conducting those sessions which will be held in the Memorial Library.

 

D. Ritchie also announced that UUP is sponsoring an upcoming Lunchtime Series which will start on February 26, 2008, involving a contract visit with the negotiations team, to be held in the Corey Function Room from 1-2 pm entitled "Union Matters." The subsequent meeting will be held on Wednesday, March 26, 2008 focussing on the benefits and optional retirement program changes presented by UUP benefits supervisor Karen Dembroski, to be held 12 PM in the Calleon Room. Senator Ritchie indicated that lunch items will be served and everyone in UUP is invited to attend.  There will also be an April meeting, to be announced, regarding the topic of "family leave" with Jamie Dangler hosting that discussion.

 

T. Slack gave a brief presentation from the Task Force on Energy. [SEE Appendix 1]

 

XI. SUNY SENATOR’S REPORT – M. Ware gave a report on the Senate Plenary held this last weekend at SUNY Albany [SEE Appendix 2]

 

XII. STUDENT SENATOR’S REPORTS:

 C. Hahl gave a brief report.

 

XIII. OLD BUSINESS:

There was no old business.

 

XIV. NEW BUSINESS

There was no new business.

 

Respectfully Submitted:

 

Barbara Kissel

Recording Secretary

 

The following reports are appended to the minutes in the order they are submitted:

 

(1)  Report from T. Slack regarding sustainability from the Task Force on Energy.

 

(2)  SUNY Senator's report submitted by M. Ware

 

(3)  Committee on Committees Report submitted by J. Barry

 

                                                                                                       APPENDIX 1

 

SUNY SUSTAINABILITY CONFERENCE DEBRIEFING

 

Submitted by Lisi Krall,

December 12, 2007

 

 

BACKGROUND:

            SUNY has made a commitment to green the physical plant of operations of each campus.  This conference was the starting point for that initiative.  It was sponsored by University Faculty Senate, SUNY System Administration.  NYSERDA also contributed the funds for the conference.

            SUNY is a tremendous consumer of energy.   The energy budget for SUNY last year was 300 million dollars and SUNY consumed 11.5 trillion BTUs of energy----enough to run 67,000 households.  Apparently SUNY’s Energy costs comprised 10% of the operating budget of the system and increased energy growth has been dramatic, the equivalent of adding a SUNY Geneseo to the system every year (I think?). It is with this in mind that the SUNY Board of Trustees adopted the Task Forces recommendations in March of 2007.  The University Policy on Energy and Sustainability is to be carried out on a campus by campus level.

With the recent increases in the cost of oil, natural gas and electricity and the significant problems with price volatility it is essential for SUNY to become more energy efficient and more efficient in managing energy if it is to continue its future mission.   The challenges SUNY faces with regard to energy are associated with the volatility in the energy pricing, demographic changes, aging infrastructure and energy management and procurement. In our judgment this presents a formidable management problem for SUNY campuses.  If not managed well individual campuses will end up expending a greater proportion of their resources to energy leaving less for the mission of the college.

 

POLICY:

            The Governor’s Executive Orders 111 and 142 mandate the following:

1-Energy reduction in buildings by 37% to FY 89-90 on BTU/sq ft. basis by 2010.

2-reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by 20% by 2014

3-increase use of renewable electricity to 30% by 2014

4-increase biodiesel to 10% by 2008

5-increase bio heating oil to 10% of #2 oil use by 2010

6-develop 5 new combined heat and power projects by 2010

7-design new and rehab existing buildings in accordance with LEED silver rating

8-procure energy and fuel at competitive prices while managing price risk

 

COMMENTS:

            Each campus will have a Campus Energy/Sustainability Coordinator and a Campus Sustainability Task Force.   Our campus will have to identify them by December 2007.  By March of 2008 the coordinator and task force will have to submit our campus plans to System Administration.   Our understanding is that money might be available to fund the Campus Energy/Sustainability Coordinator but we’re not sure when these funds will be available.  Joe Fox needs to be asked about this.    The job required of this person will be significant enough to warrant full time attention.   The first order of business for the campus in this respect is to decide whether the Energy/Sustainability Coordinator are one in the same person.  I believe Bill Shaut is the Energy Coordinator.  It may be problematic to assume that the Carbon Neutrality Committee and the Campus Sustainability Task Force are or should be synonymous.  The imperatives and the goals of each of these committees are distinctly different though there are obvious areas of overlap.   We suggest the Sustainability Task Force be a subcommittee of the Carbon Neutrality Committee.  

 

            The decision to have each campus work on a sustainability plan rather than have System mandate specific plans was to increase the probability of finding the appropriate template or prototype for changes. It is clear that System is unsure of what the best practice might be for individual campuses.   In an environment where renewable energy development might be compared to the early years of the dot com industry and where ambiguity about political and geological shortages of energy abound  System understands full well that the landscape of energy is uncertain and so diversification of strategies is important in guarding against risk. Apparently this strategy is based on the advice of the Dormitory Authority.

 

NYSDEC has initiated an electronics recycling grant (SEC).  It is a voluntary program and is easy to sign up for.  Each campus can become a partner.  This is a greening computers initiative that the campus should participate in where it will affect acquisition, operations and end of life.  Campuses should have computers that are EPEAT designated. (Electronic Product Environmental Ass. Tool).  This program can help us to get closer to our goal.  Go to this website for information: www.StateElectronicsChallenge.net.  We  have disseminated this information to Paula Warnken. 

 

NYSTAR, NYSERDA (Paul Tonko), NYPA, DASNY(Dormitory Authority of State of New York -David Brown) are all agencies that can help with the process of making a transition to a more energy efficient campus. NYSERDAs vision is that NY become a leader in clean energy.  People recognize there is no silver bullet.  NYSERDA will partnership with campuses in the next 3 months ----we want to be one of the campuses that they partner with to help with energy projects.   SUNY will develop 5 new combined heat and power projects by 2010----can we see if we can be one of these projects.  Joe Fox is the director of Energy Management and Planning for SUNY.  He recognizes that SUNY might be overbuilt.  Future demographics should enter into out long range planning strategies.

 

 

Strategies that must be simultaneously pursued:

            NYSERDA,NYSTAR,NYPA and DASNY Initiatives

            State Electronics Challenge (NERC)

            Be one of campuses selected for Combined Heat and Power Project

            Demographic Considerations in Planning

How to implement renewable requirements (Do we buy renewables or invest in generating our own? What about timing?)

Managing risk in utilities markets—(How do we coordinate this with other campus initiatives?)

Clear understanding of cost avoidance from capital projects and creative financing so that projects can pay for themselves must be achieved.

Identify Remaining Low Hanging Fruit—(How do we go about this?)

Identify more costly strategies—(How do we go about this?)

Integration this initiative into educational mission of college.

Encourage more financial resources from NYSERDA to deal with the organizational and management difficulties this transition entails.

 

 

LITERATURE REVIEW:

            --Bloomburg PlaNY 2030

            --Stern Report

            --UBC Energy Management Ecotrek Initiative (University of British Columbia)

            -- University of Leicester

            --Williams College “Do It In The Dark”

 

 

FINAL CAUTIONARY NOTE: 

            We encourage the campus to take this charge seriously and to understand that it is, above all else, a management problem.  It involves many different aspects of campus life and many different offices. It should not be approached as a tag on to someone’s already overextended work life.   Done well, SUNY Cortland will thrive. 

 

 

Attachment A

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

State University of New York

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comparison of Base Year (1989/90) to Goal for 2010

most

lowerst

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

improved

cost / ft²

 

 

 

 

 

Baseline

Current

% Difference

Goal to

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1989/90

2005/06

FY 05-06

Meet a 37%

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

10,000

10,000

vs

Reduction

 

 

 

 

 

 

Campus

BTUs/OGSF

BTUs/OGSF

FY 89-90

by 2010

 

 

 

 

 

 

Albany

246,826.73

233,453

-5.42%

31.58%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Binghamton

220,980.93

179,650

-18.70%

18.30%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buffalo South/Main

207,805.84

195,882

-5.74%

31.26%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Buffalo North/Amh

345,338.05

284,220

-17.70%

19.30%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stony Brook

445,156.06

228,785

-48.61%

0.00%

1

 

 

 

 

 

Brooklyn HSC

517,011.65

421,057

-18.56%

18.44%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Syracuse HSC

380,880.16

434,380

14.05%

51.05%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brockport

192,614.55

166,604

-13.50%

23.50%

 

7

 

 

 

 

Buffalo

245,534.81

189,847

-22.68%

14.32%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cortland

220,753.30

167,828

-23.97%

13.03%

5

8

 

 

 

 

Fredonia

235,584.30

214,761

-8.84%

28.16%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Geneseo

170,977.58

155,278

-9.18%

27.82%

 

5

 

 

 

 

New Paltz

174,213.39

186,906

7.29%

44.29%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Old Westbury

199,930.96

202,661

1.37%

38.37%

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oneonta

179,187.47

169,470

-5.42%

31.58%